Tormsskull
2007-07-10, 06:48 AM
The purpose of this guide is to put in writing the basic principles that most groups follow in my experience for resolving conflicts. I think a lot of times in debates between poster, each poster is speaking about a completely different style of gaming group, and as such the other posters have a hard time understanding them.
If your group has a different conflict resolution model than presented below, feel free to mention it and I will add it in.
Resolving Conflicts Between Players and DMs
When a conflict occurs between a player and a DM, the first thing to know is how the campaign was formed:
Type 1 Campaigns
A type 1 campaign is the traditional model, formed when a DM makes a world, often detailing it extensively, and then invites friends over to play in the campaign. Those potential players are told up front what the rules are that pertain to the campaign world that the DM is using. The potential players then decide if they want to be players in that campaign or not.
Type 2 Campaigns
A type 2 campaign is formed when a group of friends decide collectively to start playing D&D. This might occur after the previous campaign ended, or simply when they all have a chance to hang out. In type 2 campaigns, the players all discuss what kind of campaign they want to run, what rules will be used, what books are allowed, etc, in as much detail as the group decides to cover. Then they nominate (or take a volunteer) DM, and move right along.
Now that we know of the 2 most common types of campaign creation styles, we move on to the basic model for resolving conflicts.
Type 1 Campaigns: When a conflict occurs between a player and a DM, the player should plead his/her case to the DM, explaining why they think they are right, and the DM will decide.
Tips for Players:
In a type 1 campaign you have already agreed to follow the rules that the DM has laid out. If your conflict revolves around a rule that the DM let you know up front, be aware that most DMs aren't going to change the rules in the middle of the game, especially since you already knew of the rule in the beginning and agreed to play with that rule in effect.
If the rule caused unforseen consequences that you were not aware of, explain that rationally to the DM. Inform him why you think the rule is unfair now, and try to include other PCs or even world-balance in your argument for why the rule should be changed, as most DMs of type 1 campaigns are hesitant to change a rule that a player knew about up front, but now realizes it impacts their character alone.
Tips for DMs:
You have presumably made your players aware of the rules that go along with the campaign you have choosen to run. It is a very good idea to type these rules up and hand them to the players before they sign on to the campaign, and in that way you can make sure they are aware of all of the rules.
If during play you should realize that there is a rule that you forgot to mention, don't enforce it for that session unless it has wide-sweeping implications. Explain to your players that you forgot to include the rule on the list that you gave them, and make every effort to accomodate their characters if the rule is going to negatively impact them. Begin enforcing the rule next session.
The Final Judgment:
The DM has the final judgment in type 1 campaigns. He/she should try to be as fair as possible in his/her decisions, and players should be willing to defer to his/her judgment.
Type 2 Campaigns: When a conflict occurs between a player and a DM, both the player and the DM should present their case to the other players that are not directly involved in the conflict. The group should then, as a whole, vote on how to solve the conflict.
Tips for Players:
Since your group had an active hand in creating the rules that the campaign was going to follow, you should have every reason to abide by them. If you feel a particular rule had unforseen consequences, you should bring it up to the group, preferably outside of gametime.
Tips for DMs:
Since the group had an active hand in creating the rules that the campaign was going to follow, you should make sure to follow all of those rules, as you agreed to when you were nominated (or volunteered) to DM. Make sure not to build entire sessions around interpreted rules as the group as a whole might not agree with your interpretation, and as such the rule could change in the middle of the game.
The Final Judgment:
The group as a whole as the final say when it comes to rules arbitration in a type 2 campaign. The easiest and most efficient way to make a ruling on a dispute is a simple majority wins vote.
General Tips:
Regardless which type of campaign your group is playing under, being polite and respectful to everyone around the table is the best way to ensure that everyone remains having a good time. If a judgment ends up being made that you don't agree with, either by the DM or the group as whole, get over it. Do not dwell on the rule, or constantly make remarks about how the group made a mistake.
If your group has a different conflict resolution model than presented below, feel free to mention it and I will add it in.
Resolving Conflicts Between Players and DMs
When a conflict occurs between a player and a DM, the first thing to know is how the campaign was formed:
Type 1 Campaigns
A type 1 campaign is the traditional model, formed when a DM makes a world, often detailing it extensively, and then invites friends over to play in the campaign. Those potential players are told up front what the rules are that pertain to the campaign world that the DM is using. The potential players then decide if they want to be players in that campaign or not.
Type 2 Campaigns
A type 2 campaign is formed when a group of friends decide collectively to start playing D&D. This might occur after the previous campaign ended, or simply when they all have a chance to hang out. In type 2 campaigns, the players all discuss what kind of campaign they want to run, what rules will be used, what books are allowed, etc, in as much detail as the group decides to cover. Then they nominate (or take a volunteer) DM, and move right along.
Now that we know of the 2 most common types of campaign creation styles, we move on to the basic model for resolving conflicts.
Type 1 Campaigns: When a conflict occurs between a player and a DM, the player should plead his/her case to the DM, explaining why they think they are right, and the DM will decide.
Tips for Players:
In a type 1 campaign you have already agreed to follow the rules that the DM has laid out. If your conflict revolves around a rule that the DM let you know up front, be aware that most DMs aren't going to change the rules in the middle of the game, especially since you already knew of the rule in the beginning and agreed to play with that rule in effect.
If the rule caused unforseen consequences that you were not aware of, explain that rationally to the DM. Inform him why you think the rule is unfair now, and try to include other PCs or even world-balance in your argument for why the rule should be changed, as most DMs of type 1 campaigns are hesitant to change a rule that a player knew about up front, but now realizes it impacts their character alone.
Tips for DMs:
You have presumably made your players aware of the rules that go along with the campaign you have choosen to run. It is a very good idea to type these rules up and hand them to the players before they sign on to the campaign, and in that way you can make sure they are aware of all of the rules.
If during play you should realize that there is a rule that you forgot to mention, don't enforce it for that session unless it has wide-sweeping implications. Explain to your players that you forgot to include the rule on the list that you gave them, and make every effort to accomodate their characters if the rule is going to negatively impact them. Begin enforcing the rule next session.
The Final Judgment:
The DM has the final judgment in type 1 campaigns. He/she should try to be as fair as possible in his/her decisions, and players should be willing to defer to his/her judgment.
Type 2 Campaigns: When a conflict occurs between a player and a DM, both the player and the DM should present their case to the other players that are not directly involved in the conflict. The group should then, as a whole, vote on how to solve the conflict.
Tips for Players:
Since your group had an active hand in creating the rules that the campaign was going to follow, you should have every reason to abide by them. If you feel a particular rule had unforseen consequences, you should bring it up to the group, preferably outside of gametime.
Tips for DMs:
Since the group had an active hand in creating the rules that the campaign was going to follow, you should make sure to follow all of those rules, as you agreed to when you were nominated (or volunteered) to DM. Make sure not to build entire sessions around interpreted rules as the group as a whole might not agree with your interpretation, and as such the rule could change in the middle of the game.
The Final Judgment:
The group as a whole as the final say when it comes to rules arbitration in a type 2 campaign. The easiest and most efficient way to make a ruling on a dispute is a simple majority wins vote.
General Tips:
Regardless which type of campaign your group is playing under, being polite and respectful to everyone around the table is the best way to ensure that everyone remains having a good time. If a judgment ends up being made that you don't agree with, either by the DM or the group as whole, get over it. Do not dwell on the rule, or constantly make remarks about how the group made a mistake.